I was in practicing attacks with Venomoth when Aya came to bother me about the festival again.

"You are going, right, Koga?"

"Aya, I go every year."

"Well, I worry about you, you hardly ever leave the house," she continued.

"I took you to Viridian City... I go to those gym leader meeting Nurse Joy sets up. What's your problem?" I snapped.

"Those leader meetings aren't exactly helping you be social; you always come home tense," Aya persisted.

"Gym leaders aren't meant to have meetings, we're meant to keep to ourselves."

"Not every gym leader is like you... or like that overaged hippie, I forget his name."

"Blaine. He never shows. Nurse Joy says she'll get his league status in trouble, but at least he's spared listening to those twits from Cerulean talk about water ballet. They're the ones who should be in trouble; they give out badges like a vending machine."

"So it's the Cerulean sisters who are getting on your nerves?"

It wasn't... but I wasn't about to tell her the truth about that.

"Well, anyway, make sure your kimono is ready for the festival," Aya said.

On that note, Aya left. I hate it when she starts up about my social life. If I don't want one, that's my problem. But if I tell her that, she starts making psychological theories that our father rejected me or that I was deeply hurt in a relationship. It's nothing like that; I just prefer to be alone.

Finally, three days later, I put on my kimono and walked to the festival with Aya. I wasn't really going just to please her, I usually enjoy myself to a certain extent. There were plenty of people but not enough to be a terrible crowd.

Then I saw a woman trying to catch a Magikarp in a tub and recognized her.

"Come on, Aya, lets walk in another direction..."

Aya scowled at me. "What's going on?"

Foolishly, I told her the truth, or part of it.

"It's that woman from Saffron, I really don't need to deal with her right now."

"What do you mean?"

Suddenly I realized I was blushing and I felt incredibly stupid. Aya started to laugh, and dragged me over by my sleeve.

"Why look, Koga..." began Aya in an affected voice, "it's... um... the lovely gym leader from Saffron City."

"Her name is Sabrina..." I whispered. "And when we get home I'm sicking a Voltorb on you."

Sabrina turned around with a smile. That smile that had been losing me sleep since the gym leader meeting began. I knew I was still blushing; I hoped to get out of there before the situation became even worse.

That didn't look possible though. Aya chattered on.

"Well, you know my brother of course..." she said.

Suddenly Aya turned around. "Oh, look it's Susan! I'll see you later."

I should have said I wanted to see Susan too. But neither I nor Aya actually knows anyone by that name.

Sabrina looked lovely in a kimono with her hair up. She was still smiling at me, and I somehow felt it would be rude to just leave at that moment. I tried to think of something to say.

"You don't have a fan." I couldn't believe that was all I could come up with.

"Um... no, I don't," replied Sabrina, looking confused.

"Well, why don't you come over here and I'll buy you one," I said.

I began to wonder to what extent Sabrina could read thoughts. If she could read mine, presumably she thought I was idiot. An idiot with a hopeless crush on on a younger woman.

She didn't laugh or refuse to accompany me. But if Aya had figured me out so easily, surely Sabrina would too.

We walked through the festival then. Sabrina seemed to appreciate the variety of local foods and crafts, and I really did buy her a fan. I decided she saw my actions as those of a tour guide and I started to calm down.

We reached the end of a row and went to turn around. "So, what brought you to the Fuschia City festival?" I asked.

"I wanted to see how handsome you look in a kimono."

I stood there, a bit stunned. She had to be making fun of me. Maybe she didn't mean in it a cruel way, but it hurt.

"I have to go," I choked out, and headed down a dark path street away from the festival.

I heard her hurrying behind me, but I just kept walking. Finally she caught up with me and grabbed my sleeve.

"I don't even know what I said, but I'm sorry," she said.

I shrugged. "Even years ago I wasn't handsome, but I'd rather not have that brought to my attention."

Now she looked confused.

"You don't really think that, do you?" she asked. "That you aren't handsome?"

I shrugged. "Yes, I suppose I do think that."

"But you are," she said. She looked completely serious. "And I don't know what you mean by "years ago" either... I happen to know your age and you're hardly over the hill."

For a moment I was at a loss for words. Then I asked, "You didn't really come here to see me, did you?"

Now I saw that she was blushing. Almost imperceptibly, she nodded.

I took a deep breath and reached out my hands. She moved into my arms and I held her. Her hair smelled like spices. She looked up at me, and I kissed her gently.

I didn't know how to say everything I wanted to. I looked in her eyes and said "Thank you."

I wondered if she would think that sounded strange, but she smiled, and kissed me again.

The End